As 'Bad Words' opens, a look at Jason Bateman's box office record

Sam Urdank / Focus Features

Director and star Jason Bateman on the set of "Bad Words."

Director and star Jason Bateman on the set of "Bad Words." (Sam Urdank / Focus Features)

Oliver Gettell

After first making his mark as a child actor on '80s sitcoms "Silver Spoons" and "The Hogan Family," Jason Bateman reinvented himself as an adult star via the comedy series "Arrested Development" and a string of big-screen roles, usually playing an embattled everyman.

With his directorial debut, the foul-mouthed spelling bee comedy "Bad Words," opening in six theaters Friday, Bateman enters a new stage in his career (he also stars in the film).

"Bad Words," which was made for less than $10 million, has earned generally positive reviews and had a "69% fresh" rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Time will tell how it performs at the box office. Here's a look at Bateman's box-office track record since his "Arrested" renaissance, with data from Box Office Mojo.

Bateman's first top-lining role since his "Arrested" comeback was this Mike Judge comedy about a guy who runs a factory making food extracts; it failed to impress critics or make much of a splash at the box office.

Going against his usual guy-next-door type (as he does in "Bad Words"), Bateman played a ruthless executive in this comedy-drama starring George Clooney as a corporate downsizer. Bateman earned fine notices for his performance, and the film garnered six Oscar nominations.

"The Switch" (2010)

Domestic gross: $27.8 million. Widest release: 2,000 theaters.

A middling success, this romantic comedy pairing Bateman with future "Horrible Bosses" costar Jennifer Aniston had him playing another nice guy — this time one who impulsively switches his own sperm sample for the one his female best friend intended to inseminate herself with.

Bateman didn't have much luck changing things up in "The Change Up," a body-switching comedy costarring Ryan Reynolds as his freewheeling, lady-killing pal. Though the film ended up earning $75.5 million worldwide, it cost $52 million to make. Reviews were generally unfavorable.

In this ensemble comedy, Bateman and costars Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis portrayed three aggrieved friends who decide to off their overbearing bosses, played by the starry trio of Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell. The film was popular enough to spawn a sequel, scheduled for release in November.

Though this ensemble drama about a group of strangers who rely on technology to connect boasted a strong cast and received generally positive reviews, it opened in fewer than 200 theaters, which translated to a limited box-office take.

In a typical Bateman straight-man role, he played a mid-level accountant trying to wrest his life back from Melissa McCarthy's out-of-control con artist. The movie marked one of Bateman's most commercial films to date.